


Monday-Neglect or Fester

by providing_leverage



Series: Dead Robins Week 2020 [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: But also, Dead Robins Week (DCU), No beta we die like archival assistants, The Magnus Archives fusion, because I've been wanting to use that, no beta we die like robins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27691234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/providing_leverage/pseuds/providing_leverage
Summary: Statement of Stephanie Brown, archival assistant at the Wayne Institute, Gotham. Regarding what was once Roman Sionis. Statement Begins.(TMA/Batfam fusion, spoilers for episode 1.22)
Relationships: Stephanie Brown & Barbara Gordon
Series: Dead Robins Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2025040
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Monday-Neglect or Fester

**Author's Note:**

> Technically this is a week late, but that's because I have the week off school for Thanksgiving but can't do anything/go anywhere so I'm doing everything this week.
> 
> Fresh off a Magnus Archive's binge I began dreaming of a batfam/tma fusion with Archivist!Babs (Dick, Steph, and Duke are her assistants) and Monday's prompt fit so well with episode 1.22 that I couldn't resist. No knowledge of TMA needed to read this but if you have any questions drop them and I'll be happy to answer them.

Archivist:

You don't have to do this now you know.

Stephanie:

I know. I know. I just- want to do it now, while it's still fresh. 

Archivist:

Very well.

Statement of Stephanie Brown, archival assistant at The Wayne Institute, Gotham. Regarding…

Stephanie:

Regarding a close encounter with what was once Roman Sionis

Archivist:

Recorded direct from subject, November 16, 2020. Statement begins.

Stephanie:

Okay, well it started two weeks ago. You remember that case you had me doing follow up for, the spider one? Well there was something bothering me about it and the house was kind of on my way so I thought I'd just...stop by and see if I could learn anything else

You remember, the landlord wasn't very friendly the first time around. Wouldn't let me look at the apartment or talk to the current occupant, didn't answer my questions. I doubted he would be more forthcoming this time so when I spotted an open window to the basement...it seemed like a good idea at the time, all right.

Archivist:

Please refrain from telling me about the illegal things you do in the Institute's name. Plausible deniability and all that.

Stephanie:

Sorry Babs. Anyhow. 

I turned on my phone light since it was really dark in that basement and crawled through. I think it must have been storage because it was supper cluttered with boxes and sheet covered furniture. Anyway I started looking for the door out so I could go upstairs and hopefully talk to someone who might actually be helpful. Then I see movement from the corner of my eye.

Naturally I turn and flash my light over there, and there he is. An old desk in front of him, sitting on some covered chair. I couldn't really make out much even shining my light because his  _ face.  _ It was totally covered in black holes, like in his flesh. I think everything might have been like that but everything that wasn’t his face was  _ covered _ in worms. 

I thought it was weird clothing at first but then it, they,  _ moved.  _

That’s when I screamed. A mistake, because that’s when he noticed me. The worms seemed to reach for me, jumping off him and crawling across the desk towards me.

I dropped my phone and everything went dark and the only light came from the street light shining outside the window I’d crawled through. I honestly don’t know how I got out that window before the worms got me but I did and I ran like hell.

I didn’t stop until I was safely in my apartment. I’d lost my phone so I couldn’t call you and tell you what I’d seen. And I was not coming all the way back here so I just...passed out in my bed. Didn’t even change clothes.

Archivist:

I can see that. So that’s how Sinonis got your phone?

Stephanie: 

Yeah. 

I woke up the next morning and for a minute I thought I’d dreamed it. But there was no way, it had felt too real. So I convinced myself I’d just over exaggerated it in my mind. He was just covered in worms, not filled with them. I made up my mind to come into work and tell you so I reached over to turn on my bedside lamp.

Nothing happened. Not when I tried the main lights either. I was starving so I went out to my kitchen, figuring it was just a blackout and that everything would turn back on soon. 

I opening a poptarts package when there was a knock at the door. I figured it was a neighbor or my landlord, come to tell me what was going on with the power. But right before I turned the handle I...stopped. Got some sort of chill.

Because what if it was _ him _ ? What if he’d followed me home? Only then did I remember that statement you told us about, the Roman Sionis one. I realized that this must be him. I don’t have a peephole but I didn’t need one because as soon as I had the thought that this was the man I’d met last night, I glanced down and saw it. A tiny black worm inching its way under my door. 

He knocked again, had been knocking all this time. Seeing that worm made me go a little bit crazy I think. I remember I killed it, and used all the towels I had in my kitchen to stuff all the cracks along the edge of the door.

And then I sat there. For two weeks, I sat there. No power, no phone to call for help, living off bottled water and the non perishables I had. If I ever see a can of ravioli again… _ [shudders] _

For two weeks I sat there by my door, ready with a shoe to kill any worm that might sneak in. Every time I thought it might be safe, that he’d gone away at last, that knocking came again. I barely slept, too afraid that if I stopped paying attention he’d break my door down. I don’t know why he didn’t.

This morning was the first I woke up to and didn’t hear knocking. And I felt sure that he was gone, though not sure how I knew. But I still waited several hours to male sure and once I opened the door and found the hall empty…I put on my flip flops, grabbed my wallet, and hailed the first taxi I saw. Came here.

Archivist:

Statement ends.

Well that’s certainly...unsettling. I think we should-

_ [phone buzzes] _

Oh.

Stephanie:

What is it Babs?

Archivist:

Remember how Sionis had your phone? The reason none of us came to check on you was because he apparently had been calling in sick for you. Or rather, texting. And I’ve just received another. Here, see.

Stephanie:

What...what does that mean?

Archivist:

It means I ask Bruce for a security update. I don’t think Cass will be enough. In the meantime I’ll send Dick to get you some clothes at the mall. This place was Wayne Manor before it was the Wayne Institute, I’m sure some of the storage rooms can be converted back into bedrooms.

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that, and that you'll return for tomorrow.


End file.
